What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Alcohol Denat., Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cera Microcristallina, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, BHT, Parfum
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Isododecane
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientIsostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Methylglucamine
Methylparaben
Preservative
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyacrylate-1 Crosspolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAmmonium Hydroxide, Water, Arginine, BHT, Bisabolol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycolic Acid, Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Isostearic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Methylglucamine, Methylparaben, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-1 Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Propylparaben, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
